Patents by Inventor Karl Jones

Karl Jones has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140008147
    Abstract: A harness safety system comprising energy absorbing material that exhibits a change in physical properties at different applied strain rates. Typically, as a result of a sudden impact or applied stress or pressure event the material becomes substantially rigid, changing to a less rigid, more resilient, relaxed or conformable state after a elapsing of a time period following the sudden impact or applied stress or pressure event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Latchways PLC
    Inventors: Karl Jones, Owain Jones
  • Publication number: 20130248291
    Abstract: A descender system, typically for use in a fall arrest system, for enabling a suspended body to be lowered includes a rotatable descent line drum, and a release element arranged in a restraint configuration to inhibit the descent line from being deployed and in a release configuration to permit the descent line to be deployed. A rotating brake applies a braking force to the rotatable descent line drum; a gear train connects the brake to the drum. The gear train is provided in a substantially watertight sealed space. Typically, a substantially watertight seal is provided between a backplate of the rotating drum and a chassis of the device. Typically, the substantially watertight seal is of a material that is deformable/compressible, preferably at temperatures at or below ?20 Celsius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Latchways PLC
    Inventors: Owain Jones, Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20130193293
    Abstract: A vacuum anchor for securing a fall protection system to a surface has a gas inlet to receive pressurised gas from a gas container and generates a vacuum to secure the anchor to a surface. An attachment enables a fall protection system to be connected to the anchor, the attachment being rotatably mounted to the anchor. A container mounting device is provided for mounting the gas container to the anchor in connection with the gas inlet, the container mounting means being rotatable with the rotatable. Alternatively or additionally, the gas inlet is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the attachment means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: LATCHWAYS PLC
    Inventors: Owain Jones, Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20120267194
    Abstract: A bracket fixing for securing a safety line to a structure, has a safety line receiving portion and a fixing portion connected to the safety line receiving portion, the fixing portion having a captive mechanical fixing, arranged to engage with and secure the bracket to the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Latchways PLC
    Inventors: Owain Jones, Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20120217092
    Abstract: A traveller for safety line for a fall arrest system has a slot extending to the exterior of the traveller and a safety line locating shuttle provided on-board the traveller wherein the safety line locating shuttle is movable relative to the slot along a predetermined path in a direction across the slot. This aids in accurate positioning of the safety line with respect to the traveller. The slot can be defined between opposed slot edges which are movable relative to one another to reconfigure the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Owain Jones, Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20120132481
    Abstract: A fall arrest safety system has a traveller arranged to travel along a safety line and including a securing arrangement deployable in response to a fall event to secure the traveller in fixed position on the safety line. An energy absorber device is connected intermediately between the traveller and the user, the energy absorber device including a plastically deformable energy absorber deployable in response to a fall event to plastically deform from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation. The energy absorber may have a coil-form portion and an elongate tongue portion extending in a linear direction at the periphery of the coil-form portion, the elongate tongue portion of the energy absorber being arranged to extend to project from the housing for connection to a karabiner, lanyard or other connection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Latchways PLC
    Inventor: Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20120031701
    Abstract: A speed responsive engagement device for use in a fall arrest system has a ratchet wheel having outwardly projecting spaced apart teeth and a pawl arranged for pivotal movement to engage the ratchet wheel teeth. The pawl and the ratchet wheel are rotatable relative to one another such that when relative rotation occurs between the ratchet wheel and the pawl in a first direction the pawl contacts the ratchet wheel, generating an oscillating movement of the pawl with an amplitude dependent on the speed of the rotation, and when the speed of rotation reaches a predetermined value the increased oscillating movement causes the pawl to move into the engaged orientation brakingly engaging with the ratchet wheel teeth preventing further relative rotation between the ratchet wheel and the pawl in the first direction. A biasing arrangement arranged to bias the pawl towards the disengaged orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Latchways PLC
    Inventor: Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20110297480
    Abstract: A safety line traveller (1) including a traveller body (3) having an open sided receiving channel (11) for receiving a longitudinal section of the safety line (2). An occluder element (5) is moveable between an open position in which access into and out of the channel (11) via the open side is at a maximum, and a closed position in which access into and out of the channel via the open side is at a minimum. The open side of the channel (11) being at least partly occluded by the occluder element (5) in the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Karl Jones, Amir Tabatabai
  • Publication number: 20110179815
    Abstract: This appliance is an attractive clear plastic box that is cooled by a thermo electric cooling module. It displays AND extends the life of fresh produce. It is intended to be used on a kitchen counter top, so as to get produce out of the refrigerator produce bins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventor: Douglas Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20110088976
    Abstract: A speed responsive engagement device comprises: a wheel arranged for rotation about a first axis and having a plurality of outwardly projecting spaced apart teeth with each pair of adjacent teeth being separated by a circumferential surface with a constant radius; a pawl arranged for pivotal movement about a second axis between a first unengaged position and a second engaged position in which the pawl engages one of said teeth and contacts a circumferential surface; and a resilient means arranged to urge said pawl towards the first position when the pawl is not in contact with a circumferential surface. When the wheel rotates in a first direction each tooth contacts the pawl, generating an oscillating movement of the pawl from the first position towards the second position with an amplitude dependent on the speed of the rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: LATCHWAYS PLC
    Inventors: Karl Jones, David Crowley
  • Publication number: 20100252366
    Abstract: A safety device for use in a fall arrest system, has a safety line drum mounted for rotation and a speed responsive engagement mechanism responsive to the speed of rotation of the drum, which is activated above a predetermined rotational speed of the drum to deploy an energy absorber. A rotational transmission member (which may be in the form of a shaft) is coupled, via the speed responsive engagement mechanism, when activated, to rotate with the drum. The energy absorber is deployed in response to operation of the rotational transmission member. The speed responsive engagement mechanism may be mounted intermediate the drum and the energy absorber for ease of replacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Karl Jones, Owain Jones
  • Publication number: 20100236867
    Abstract: A rotational energy absorber typically for use in a fall arrest system has a coiler, a length of plastically deformable strip and a deformer structure. The plastically deformable strip has a first end attached to the coiler and a second free end and extends past the deformer structure at a position between the first and second ends. Relative rotation of the coiler member and deformer structure causes the strip to be drawn past the deformer structure, plastically deforming the strip and winding the strip coil form about the coiler member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Karl Jones, Owain Jones
  • Patent number: 7744063
    Abstract: A safety device for a fall arrest system comprises: a body, attachment means for attaching the safety device to a support structure, a drum mounted for rotation relative to the body, a safety line wound on the drum, a speed sensitive clutch connected to the drum, and a linear energy absorber connecting the body to the attachment means, in which the speed sensitive clutch is adapted to respond to rotation of the drum relative to the body in a direction tending to unwind the safety line from the drum and above a predetermined speed by locking the drum against further rotation in said direction relative to the body, and the linear energy absorber is adapted to respond, when the speed sensitive clutch has locked the drum, to an applied load along the safety line greater than a threshold value by deploying and absorbing energy so that the attachment means moves away from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Latchways PLC
    Inventor: Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20090260919
    Abstract: An anchor assembly for an elongate safety line comprises safety line gripping means connected to a bracket means by a releasable clamping means. The releasable clamping means comprises a tapered clamp formed by first and second opposed clamping surfaces defining a tapered space between them, a tapered member having a tapered profile matching the tapered space and a clamping element adapted to urge the first and second clamping surfaces together to clamp the tapered member between them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: LATCHWAYS PLC.
    Inventors: Richard Alan Frederick Beale, Timothy George Bissett, Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20090032785
    Abstract: A safety device for a fall arrest system comprises: a body, attachment means for attaching the safety device to a support structure, a drum mounted for rotation relative to the body, a safety line wound on the drum, a speed sensitive clutch connected to the drum, and a linear energy absorber connecting the body to the attachment means, in which the speed sensitive clutch is adapted to respond to rotation of the drum relative to the body in a direction tending to unwind the safety line from the drum and above a predetermined speed by locking the drum against further rotation in said direction relative to the body, and the linear energy absorber is adapted to respond, when the speed sensitive clutch has locked the drum, to an applied load along the safety line greater than a threshold value by deploying and absorbing energy so that the attachment means moves away from the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: Latchways PLC
    Inventor: Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20070062759
    Abstract: A bottom anchor assembly for a substantially vertically-orientated elongate safety line comprises safety line gripping means, tensioning mean for adjusting the safety line tension to a predetermined value, bracket means and connector arm means. The tensioning means and safety line gripping means are spaced apart and are linked by the connector arm means so that a safety line traveller moving along a safety line gripped by the safety line gripping means can pass over the safety line gripping means and the connector arm means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Karl Jones, Timothy Bissett
  • Publication number: 20060124391
    Abstract: A traveller for a fall arrest system comprises a body having a passage therethrough, a slot narrower than the passage linking the passage to the exterior of the body, and a load member suitable to attach the traveller to fall safety equipment. The slot is formed between an inner gate extending outwardly relative to the passage and an outer gate extending inwardly relative to the passage, the inner gate and outer gate having respective opposed convex surfaces defining the slot between them. The traveller is arranged such that when the traveller is mounted on a support the inner gate and outer gate lie on a common radius of respective concentric circles about the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Karl Jones, Peter Flux
  • Patent number: 6824856
    Abstract: A protective packaging sheet which is particularly suitable for packaging heavy loads such as coils of sheet steel. The packaging sheet is formed from a plastics sheet material having inherently relatively low compressions strength and resistance to impact forces and bending. These mechanical properties are vastly improved in the embossed packaging sheet. At least one of the surfaces of the sheet material is provided with shaped protuberances juxtaposed with adjacent shaped protuberances to provide a gap around each shaped protuberance. The shaped protuberances are arranged in such a way that all straight lines projected onto the surface cut through the shaped protuberances in addition to the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: ITW Limited
    Inventor: Ian Karl Jones
  • Publication number: 20010049007
    Abstract: A protective packaging sheet which is particularly suitable for packaging heavy loads such as coils of sheet steel. The packaging sheet is formed from a plastics sheet material having inherently relatively low compressions strength and resistance to impact forces and bending. These mechanical properties are vastly improved in the embossed packaging sheet. At least one of the surfaces of the sheet material is provided with shaped protuberances juxtaposed with adjacent shaped protuberances to provide a gap around each shaped protuberance. The shaped protuberances are arranged in such a way that all straight lines projected onto the surface cut through the shaped protuberances in addition to the gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventor: Ian Karl Jones
  • Patent number: 6028974
    Abstract: A cable junction is provided for connecting two optical cables (110) submerged underwater, having a casing (130), an anchorage (120), a casing loading ring (150), an anchorage loading ring (145) and a seal ring (140). The casing (130) has a casing sealing surface (153). The anchorage (120) is arranged in the casing (130), and has an anchorage sealing surface (157). Circular ridges (260, 263) are provided in the casing sealing surface (153) and the anchorage sealing surface (157), respectively, for embedding into the seal ring (140). The anchorage (120) is rotatably coupled to the casing (130) by an anchorage/casing threaded joint (133). The casing loading ring (150) has a casing loading ring sealing surface (150a). The anchorage loading ring (145) has an anchorage loading ring sealing surface (145a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Shyi-Hwang Shyu, Richard Karl Jones